Victoria Cross topic of conversation at the Kingsville Military Museum

As part of the Canterbury ElderCollege series of courses offered to those 55+, a dozen patrons were treated to a detailed lecture about the Victoria Cross, Canadians receiving it and the bit of controversy surrounding it in the present day. Presented at the Kingsville Military Museum by executive member Bob Lynch, the Victoria Cross is arguably one of the most famous military decorations that exists.

Lynch, an avid historian and visitor to some of the European battlefields he spoke of, began with an overview of the medal of British origins itself which came about in 1856, followed by interesting stories of a few of the Canadian heroes that have received it over the past years.

Highlighted in the presentation as noted recipients of the Victoria Cross were William Hall, a black sailor who saved shipmates during the Indian Rebellion, Ellis Sifton who fought in the Canadian regiment in Italy during World War I, and Andrew Mynarski an airman who saved other airmen who were trapped in a plane and whose name is found on a Lancaster bomber that flies out of Hamilton.

Ernest “Smokey” Smith, the only private to earn the Victoria Cross in WWII, was mentioned in the address for taking out an Axis tank brigade, as was Victoria Cross recipient Frederick Tilston of the Essex-Scottish Regiment for crossing a battlefield numerous times in order to grab needed ammunition for his troop.

Near the end of his presentation, Lynch focused on Private Jess Larochelle, a Canadian who fought in Afghanistan. No Canadian since World War II has been honoured with the Victoria Cross and soldiers that fought alongside Larochelle are asking that he be recognized with the honour for his courageous act of manning a post and protecting his platoon while having a broken neck and back.

The museum’s volunteer administrator, Bonnie Monminie, was in attendance at the lecture and added interesting details about many of the honoured soldiers. She also indicated that the Kingsville Military Museum is in the process of attempting to expand as it is bursting at the seams with exhibits from all of our military services and has inventory on hand that they would like to display but don’t yet have the space. 

A fundraising campaign is set to begin in a few months for the museum asking for donations from the business community and local citizens for this hidden gem that sits just east of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 188 in the town of Kingsville.